Patent GB-1460760-A (GB)
Title: Method and apparauts for automatically attaching top stops to a continuous slide fastener chain dihalogenophenol derivatives
IPC: A44B19/60
Filed: 1974-05-15
Abstract: 1460760 Bending; shearing CARBIDE FORM GRINDING Inc 15 May 1974 [4 Oct 1973] 21501/74 Headings B3E and B3W [Also in Division E2] The invention relates to an automatic topstop attaching machine for simultaneously attaching two stops to each of successive portions of a continuous slide fastener chain 2 which comprises two tapes T, T, bottom stops BS, BS1 connecting the two tapes at longitudinally spaced portions to each other, rows of interengaging coupling elements C, C provided on facing edges of the tapes extending from each bottom stop toward, but short of, the following bottom stop, and a slider S on each of the portions for engaging and disengaging the coupling elements and providing, between the slider and the following bottom stop BS1, Fig. 5, a gap G in which the tape portions are disconnected from each other. According to the invention the machine comprises means 1 for feeding the slide fastener chain 2 intermittently in one direction (X), Fig. 3 (not shown), and substantially in one plane to, and past, a working station WS, Fig. 1, and combined cutting, bending and clamping means 4 at said working station for cutting off portions W<SP>1</SP> from two wires W, for bending the cut-off wire portions W into substantially U-shaped configuration, for holding the same in a predetermined position, and for subsequently clamping the bent wire portions on to edges of said tapes closely adjacent to the coupling elements C on one end of the rows of coupling elements. Further according to the invention, the machine comprises means 500 for reciprocating said combined cutting, bending and clamping means 4 in a direction transverse to said one direction, means 6 for deflecting the tapes in the region of said working station for bringing the facing edges thereof in proper position for clamping the bent wire portions thereon, means 7 for moving the chain longitudinally in a direction opposite to said one direction to bring the coupling elements on said one end of said rows of coupling elements C closely adjacent to said bent wire portions before the latter are clamped to the edges of said tapes, and control means, Fig. 13 (not shown), for automatically actuating the aforementioned means in proper sequence. As shown, while the tapes T, T are moved one step forward along guide blocks 90, 91 in the direction of arrow (X) by a pair of rollers 13, 14 driven by an electric motor 8 through a magnetic clutch, not shown, and a belt and pulley mechanism 9-11, the punch bar 27 of the means 4, and the bar 67 of the deflecting means 6, are located respectively in their inoperative upper and lower positions, and the drive means 5 is inoperative, the ends of two wires W, previously fed by levers 17 from a pair of spools 5<SP>1</SP>, only one shown, through guide blocks 19, being located in abutment with the sides of a projection 44 on an anvil 21, Fig. 4, which is slidably mounted on the upper face of a block 34 at the working station WS and is spring-loaded into its operative position beneath the vertically-reciprocable punch bar 27. A finger 74 of the unit 7, for moving the chain T, T longitudinally a small distance opposite to the direction (X), projects into the gap G between the slider S and the bottom stop BS1, Fig. 5. When the bottom stop BS1 meets the finger 74 a microswitch M1 is actuated to (de-)energize the magnetic clutch in the belt and pulley drive of the motor 8 so that the feed of the chain T, T is stopped and the punch bar 27 is lowered to a first position by a crank mechanism 54-58 of the drive means 5, which is driven by a motor 47 through a ring clutch 51, and belt-and-pulley mechanism 48, 50, and which is controlled by a lug 53 and a bumper bar 61 with a lug-engaging notch 63. In the first position the lower cutting edges 30<SP>1</SP> of a pair of levers 28, pivoted, at 29, to the punch bar 28, Fig. 8, and spring-urged apart against stops, not shown, co-operate with cutting edges on the blocks 19 to cut off portions W<SP>1</SP> of the wires W and bend them over portions 45 of the anvil as shown in Fig. 6, the wire portions being held in grooves in a block 33 secured to the punch bar 27 and in corresponding grooves in the levers 28. The anvil 21 is subsequently pushed by the punch bar 27 to its retracted position. During the downward movement of the punch bar 27 the bar 67 of the deflecting means 6, with fingers 69, 70 carried thereby, is moved upward by rack 71, 72 and pinion 73 mechanism, Fig. 2. In this position the solenoid S 2 , Fig. 1, is actuated to lift the roller 14 away from the roller 13 and release the chain T, T so that the finger 74, under the influence of a spring 84, Fig. 2, tilts anticlockwise to move the end coupling elements C up against the bent wire portions W<SP>1</SP>. At the same time a microswitch M 1  is actuated to release the detent means 53, 63 so that the shaft 54 turns through the remaining part of a full revolution to complete the lowering stroke of the punch bar 67. During the latter movement cam faces (31), Fig. 10 (not shown), on the levers 28 engage rollers 40 located on blocks 34 to tilt the levers 28 together and clamp the bent wire portions W<SP>1</SP> on to the tape edges, which, in the meantime, have been deflected fully upwards by the means 6. Subsequently the punch bar 27 is moved upwardly so that the levers 17 are actuated to feed forward further portions W<SP>1</SP> of the wires W and rollers 13, 14 are driven again, the finger 74 being momentarily lowered and then raised again into the next gap G as the chain T, T is moved forward another step.